Reactivity in the human sciences

Abstract

The reactions that science triggers on the people it studies, describes, or theorises about, can affect the science itself and its claims to knowledge. This phenomenon, which we call reactivity, has been discussed in many different areas of the social sciences and the philosophy of science, falling under different rubrics such as the Hawthorne effect, self-fulfilling prophecies, the looping effects of human kinds, the performativity of models, observer effects, experimenter effects and experimenter demand effects. In this paper we review state-of-the-art research that falls under the remit of the philosophy of reactivity by considering ontological, epistemic and moral issues that reactivity raises. Along the way, we devote special attention to articles belonging to this journal's Topical Collection entitled “Reactivity in the Human Sciences”.

Epistemic circularity and measurement validity in quantitative psychology: insights from Fechner’s psychophysics

“…As such, reactivity is plausibly lower in the context of measuring sensory reactions than when the measurement process involves more complex language-based abilities, as in the case of higher-order psychological properties. On the pervasiveness of reactivity in the human sciences seeMarchionni et al (2024) and references therein.5 See, for instance, Uher (2021b) for a comprehensive analysis of the conceptual and epistemological challenges to contemporary psychological measurement.Frontiers in Psychology…”

“…As such, reactivity is plausibly lower in the context of measuring sensory reactions than when the measurement process involves more complex language-based abilities, as in the case of higher-order psychological properties. On the pervasiveness of reactivity in the human sciences see Marchionni et al (2024) and references therein.…”